Regional Coroner To Investigate Death Of Brampton Construction Worker

Published September 9, 2019 at 11:55 pm

The Regional Supervising Coroner for Central Region announced today that an inquest will be held into the death of a Brampton construction worker. 

The Regional Supervising Coroner for Central Region announced today that an inquest will be held into the death of a Brampton construction worker. 

Mark Attallah, 40, died on April 21, 2015, while working at a construction site in Brampton.

Attallah was killed at Gore Meadows Library and Community Centre, which was under construction at that time. According to Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Forma-Con was contracted to provide formwork and case cement for  construction. 

“A crane was brought to the site for hoisting, but on April 9, 2015, licensed crane operator and Forma-Con worker Andry Sokhan texted Forma-Con supervisor Gordon Graham saying that the crane posed a danger on the worksite. 

Graham said that the crane should be shut down, however the crane continued to be used. 

“The crane operator hoisted the load and after receiving a signal to do so, began to lower the boom.”

Then, the crane tipped to the right of the operator’s cab, and the boom struck Attallah, who was declared dead onsite.

“At no time was the crane taken out of operation by anyone at the project, despite the communications by the crane operator on April 9 that the crane was in a state of disrepair and posed a serious danger to the operator and everyone around.”

Graham was fined $15,000, Sokhan was fined $13,000, and Forma-Con Construction was slapped with a $285,000 fine near the end of 2017 — three of the 12 fines that were imposed that year in Brampton.

An inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act, which will examine the circumstances surrounding Attallah’s death. A jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths.

Details regarding the date and location will be provided at a later date when the information becomes available.

Dr. Geoffrey Bond will preside as inquest coroner and Ikdeep Singh will be counsel to the coroner.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising